If I had a penny for every time that had happened, I would be a millionaire.
Or so the old saying goes.
With inflation, this is now probably one pound, but the sentiment remains the same insomuch as because a certain thing has happened so often, even having a small amount of money for each occurrence would make you rich!
How many people remember the railings across Union Walk, between Fretton’s the motorcycle shop and the Great Western pub?
The railings were mounted on top of a low brick wall, with a narrow gate at the Fretton’s end. So many people had stood on this low wall as they went through the gate that the top course of bricks had worn into a crescent shape right down to the course below. The wall was made of blue bricks which are harder than ordinary bricks, so just imagine how many times the wall must have been stood on to have worn away like that. It must have been literally millions of times!
Union Walk
Union Walk originally ran from Clements Street to Court Street, with a spur off towards the canal. Along with Court Street, Althorpe Street, White Street, etc, it was swept away in the “slum” clearance program of the 1960s. This turned what had been a vibrant community into rather bleak landscape of light industrial units and car parks.
The photo shows the part of Union Walk that ran behind Clemens Street towards the canal. It was taken in the early 1960s and the gate was off to the right. It does make you wonder if any thought what so ever was given to the possibility of bringing the homes up to modern standards and so keeping the community together.
It is also interesting to note that after 50 years there are plans afoot to return part of the area to residential use.
Comments
I loved looking at this photo of Union Walk as my dad used to live there. lt was very much a slum area, my dad was one of 8 and it must have been a hard life. My dad used to tell me about the swifts that would collect under the eves and make a racket, they used to knock at them with a broom.
My grandad Ernie Dean locked the gate every good Friday so people had to walk round to Court street. As kids we loved it seeing people trying to open the gate to come through the walk. Really used to have a good laugh.
My sister Pam and I are in the picture! I am pushing the girl, I believe to be Marian Baldwin. Pam is on the left. We used to live,from memory, at No. 10, on the right. I think my parents moved there in 1956 and I was born at Warneford Hospital the next year. Some of the people I remember in the Walk were Mrs Hudson, who had a son called Greville. The Baldwins with Marian, Michael.and another child who’s name escapes me. Next to us was a man called Joe and he was a road sweeper. I recollect a large family, I think called Smiths(?) who were at the end (next to The Baldwins). I remember the railings and them being locked. At Frettons I remember Jenny, who at the time was in her teens. I live in Dorset now and did pop into Frettons a couple of years ago. Jenny still owned the Bike shop – I assume she still does? Memories, what memories! Thank you!
I remember Neville and his sister Pamela very well together with his mum Scuntala and dad Prem. He didn’t live at No 10 as that was where my aunt and uncle Mr. and Mrs Hewitt lived. He lived at No 20. We (The Wills family) lived at No 17 (top right in the photo) against the Stoneleigh wall. it was called that, as it formed the back of one of the outbuildings of The Stoneleigh pub. Next door to us lived The Hudson family and there was indeed a son called Greville, and an older sister called Janet. Most of the longstanding residents of “The Walk” moved out in about 1960. The blond haired girl in the photo is indeed Marian Baldwin, who lives in Bishops Itchington. I also remember Mr. Dean and the ritual locking of the gate on Good Friday. It caught so many people out, as it was a short cut between the Coventry bus terminus, by the old police station and the bus stop for Whitnash. We children tried to tell them the gate was locked but they just didn’t believe us.
My dad lived here, they were Adams, a large family. My dad being Leonard (Frank) his mum was Maud and dad was Charles. He had one arm after being injured in the war and went to Bath Place School, which was nicknamed Nat Bites. My mum Kathleen went to Clapham Terrace and always felt a bit superior as it was believed to be the better school.
Add a comment about this page